Hawks ‘will not discuss Gordhan’s questions’ in public
by Genevieve Quintal,
2016-03-14 14:44:11.0
THE Hawks will not discuss issues pertaining to questions it has sent to Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, but say that the Monday afternoon deadline for him to respond still stands.
"It is a matter which will be dealt with by the national (Hawks) head," spokesman Brig Hangwani Mulaudzi said.
"He will take a decision and see what the way forward is. For now let the process unfold."
Letter
Brig Mulaudzi said the letter sent to Mr Gordhan was public knowledge and the deadline given to him to respond to 27 questions regarding a so-called "rogue unit" in the South African Revenue Service (SARS) still stood.
Mr Gordhan on Sunday said he had not received a second letter from the Hawks indicating a deadline for Monday.
"My attorneys have confirmed to me that no other letter has been received by their office," he said in a statement.
"I can also confirm that I am unaware of any ‘new’ letter."
Mr Gordhan also criticised the special police unit and accused it of harassing him. Days before he delivered his budget speech, the Hawks sent him a list of questions about the so-called rogue spy unit.
He was given a new deadline of Monday afternoon to answer the questions. The unit was apparently set up when Mr Gordhan was SARS commissioner.
The Hawks wanted Mr Gordhan to tell them what he knew about the unit.
Brig Mulaudzi said the Hawks did not want to deal with the matter in the public domain.
"It’s two different offices that must work diligently without us having to publish or bare ourselves naked in the public. It’s the wrong move," he said.
Concern over spat
The African National Congress’s (ANC’s) head of policy Jeff Radebe said earlier on that the ruling party was concerned that the spat between Mr Gordhan and the Hawks was taking place in the public domain.
"As the ANC, we prefer that these matters should be ventilated in the appropriate forums and not in the public domain," he told reporters in Johannesburg.
He said there were forums within government where these issues should be addressed.
ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa added that the party was concerned that the issue was being run as a "public trial".
"There is correspondence between two officials and the next day it’s on the front pages," he said.
"We don’t understand what is the intention. We questioned it yesterday. What is the intention?
Things must be done professionally, said Mr Kodwa.
Treasury responds
The Treasury said on Monday it would take action against any of its officials proven to be involved in a news report alleging political manoeuvring in the appointment of a new finance minister.
The threat comes as editor Bongani Siqoko said: “The Sunday Times stands by its story”.
Mr Siqoko added that every person mentioned in the report “was given an opportunity to tell us his or her side of the story”.
The Treasury statement said it refuted that any of its senior officials were the source of a Sunday Times story “that insinuates that the deputy secretary-general of the ANC Ms Jessie Duarte‚ offered the deputy minister of finance Mr Mcebisi Jonas‚ the finance minister position”.
“It is concerning that the Sunday Times regularly relies on unnamed sources and faceless people to spread rumours and give credence to their stories. This is an issue we have raised previously with the publication to no avail. We challenge the Sunday Times to back up their claim and provide proof of such a source.
“Should such proof be provided‚ appropriate action against such officials will be taken.”
News24, with TMG Digital
Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan delivers his 2016 budget speech in Parliament in Cape Town on Wednesday. Picture: BLOOMBERG/HALDEN KROG
THE Hawks will not discuss issues pertaining to questions it has sent to Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, but say that the Monday afternoon deadline for him to respond still stands.
"It is a matter which will be dealt with by the national (Hawks) head," spokesman Brig Hangwani Mulaudzi said.
"He will take a decision and see what the way forward is. For now let the process unfold."
Letter
Brig Mulaudzi said the letter sent to Mr Gordhan was public knowledge and the deadline given to him to respond to 27 questions regarding a so-called "rogue unit" in the South African Revenue Service (SARS) still stood.
Mr Gordhan on Sunday said he had not received a second letter from the Hawks indicating a deadline for Monday.
"My attorneys have confirmed to me that no other letter has been received by their office," he said in a statement.
"I can also confirm that I am unaware of any ‘new’ letter."
Mr Gordhan also criticised the special police unit and accused it of harassing him. Days before he delivered his budget speech, the Hawks sent him a list of questions about the so-called rogue spy unit.
He was given a new deadline of Monday afternoon to answer the questions. The unit was apparently set up when Mr Gordhan was SARS commissioner.
The Hawks wanted Mr Gordhan to tell them what he knew about the unit.
Brig Mulaudzi said the Hawks did not want to deal with the matter in the public domain.
"It’s two different offices that must work diligently without us having to publish or bare ourselves naked in the public. It’s the wrong move," he said.
Concern over spat
The African National Congress’s (ANC’s) head of policy Jeff Radebe said earlier on that the ruling party was concerned that the spat between Mr Gordhan and the Hawks was taking place in the public domain.
"As the ANC, we prefer that these matters should be ventilated in the appropriate forums and not in the public domain," he told reporters in Johannesburg.
He said there were forums within government where these issues should be addressed.
ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa added that the party was concerned that the issue was being run as a "public trial".
"There is correspondence between two officials and the next day it’s on the front pages," he said.
"We don’t understand what is the intention. We questioned it yesterday. What is the intention?
Things must be done professionally, said Mr Kodwa.
Treasury responds
The Treasury said on Monday it would take action against any of its officials proven to be involved in a news report alleging political manoeuvring in the appointment of a new finance minister.
The threat comes as editor Bongani Siqoko said: “The Sunday Times stands by its story”.
Mr Siqoko added that every person mentioned in the report “was given an opportunity to tell us his or her side of the story”.
The Treasury statement said it refuted that any of its senior officials were the source of a Sunday Times story “that insinuates that the deputy secretary-general of the ANC Ms Jessie Duarte‚ offered the deputy minister of finance Mr Mcebisi Jonas‚ the finance minister position”.
“It is concerning that the Sunday Times regularly relies on unnamed sources and faceless people to spread rumours and give credence to their stories. This is an issue we have raised previously with the publication to no avail. We challenge the Sunday Times to back up their claim and provide proof of such a source.
“Should such proof be provided‚ appropriate action against such officials will be taken.”
News24, with TMG Digital
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